Ayashi no Ceres Side-Story original story by: watase yuu english translation by: tetris no miko //page 2// [Aya is very pregnant, and floating in her mind] Aya: it’s coming….very soon….the life that was created between my lover and me…. //dokun dokun dokun dokun dokun// [image of Aya’s fetus] Aya: And it happened long, long ago… ocean waves: shooOOOOSSHHhhhhhh //page 3// Kurama: Mikagi! [Mikagi is tying up some skins] Kurama: ….Are you deaf or something! Mikagi: Oh….Sorry, Kurama! Kurama: They’re telling me the fish are coming into their nets now! man: You sure are a hard worker, Mikagi…..well, I guess it’s because your father died. //page 4// man: Why don’t you start thinking about getting a wife? Mikagi: haha….if she’ll take me. man: What do you think, Kurama!! Wanna run for the position? [he pushes Kurama into Mikagi’s chest] //squeeze!// //BAM!// //rustle, rustle, rustle// Kurama: Who’d marry a guy like Mikagi!! [Kurama runs away] man: Awwww….she sure isn’t very honest with herself. man2: ….Are you okay, Mikagi? [Mikagi is smashed against a wall…] Mikagi: …..You guys stop teasing me, okay? Right now, I can’t see myself getting married. //page 5// Mikagi: Because I still don’t know….what "love" really is… ocean waves: shooOOOOSSSHHhhhhh…. [Mikagi and "man" are walking through the forest] man: But no one really knows what love is, Mikagi. I’ve been married for three years already…and after she smacks ya around a few times, you understand love even less! watase: Now, now, there… Mikagi: …But I want to know what it is that pulls two spirits together. ocean waves: shooshhh… man: What’s wrong with my little sister, Kurama? She’s always had a thing for… //page 6+7// man: ……Mikagi? Mikagi: …..something’s calling me….. man: Huh….? Hey?!……Mikagi?! [Mikagi runs through the brush and finds….yeah, the mana ^_^] //rustle// man: ….Wha…what in the world….is that! Mikagi: //dokun dokun dokun// ….this is it….this is what has been calling me… man: [reaching to touch the mana] Is it alive….?! //page 8// [he touches it, but the mana blasts him away and smashes him into a tree] //VWOM!!// //slide…// //dokun dokun dokun// mana/Ceres: "Come to me…you are the chosen one" //page 9// [Mikagi’s hands reach out and he walks, following the heart beats] //dokun dokun dokun dokun// [he sees a back view of Ceres bathing] Ceres/mana: "Come to me" //dokun dokun dokun dokun// Ceres/mana: [Ceres turns around and looks at Mikagi] "My new husband…" //dokun dokun dokun// //page 10// Mikagi: //gasp…// [Mikagi has Ceres on the shore and is holding her hands] //page 11// random man: ….Hey, everyone! Mikagi’s found the "daughter of a god"!! random woman: ……huh? random man: The village leader is meeting with that girl right now!! That girl’s so beautiful it hardly looks like she’s from this world!! Kurama: …..Mikagi found her? [Ceres floats above the villagers] villagers: Wowwwwww person1: I heard her name is "Ceres" person2: She’s flying….that’s amazing!! person3: So that’s a what a daughter of a god looks like, huh! //page 12// man: ….It’s the truth! I thought I was dead meat when I was smashed against a tree! But when that girl Mikagi found touched me, the pain disappeared… [Mikagi is holding a bundle wrapped in a cloth and looks up at Ceres] Kurama: Mi… //shoosh…// [Ceres floats gracefully to the ground] Ceres: //smile// //page 13// [later that night, Ceres is in Mikagi’s hut] Mikagi:…….you call that thing….. "mana", right? And it’s your life force? Ceres: yes. Mikagi: As soon as I touched the mana….I was naturally guided to the shore where you were. [Ceres narrows her eyes and remembers how a shark was about to attack her and Mikagi saved her] Mikagi: ….How mysterious. It’s almost like the mana lead me to you…..Are you really the daughter of… //rustle…// //page 14// [Ceres has removed her clothes] Ceres: Help yourself. Mikagi: //gasp!…// Ceres: …I understand. You want me, do you not? I do not care. because it is my duty //page 15// //whap!// [Mikagi stands up and clenches his fists] Mikagi: ….Put on your clothes! Ceres: ….huh? Mikagi: What poor sad eyes you have….What I want now….is just to see you smile from the bottom of your heart. Ceres: "sad"? Mikagi: [walking away] Everyone in the village accepts you into the tribe. And so I shall let you stay here as you wish. //page 16// [Mikagi walks out of the hut] Ceres: ….why? In our race, we do not possess what you humans call "hearts". We are able to manipulate such an existence, but…you think I am "sad"? And why did you not make love to me?….What is this man? All of the men I have met up until now would take me right away….but why? [Mikagi is outside, and kneels by some flowers] Kurama: ….Mikagi! //page 17// Kurama: Where is she?… Mikagi: …..She’s already gone to bed. Kurama: …….are you going to live with her? Did you fall in love with her? Mikagi: …… Kurama: Didn’t you say….that you would never get married? Mikagi: ….I don’t know. It’s just that….that girl’s eyes are so painfully sad…. [Mikagi hands Ceres the flowers] //page 18// Ceres: ….Are these for me? Mikagi: Yes, pretty aren’t they? I heard that women like beautiful things. [he smiles at Ceres and then turns to walk out of the hut] ….I’m going hunting. After that, I’ll come back here. //whoosh// Ceres: I do not understand….Is there something wrong with me? This form was supposed to be able to seduce any man…. //page 19// [Ceres is surrounded by flowers] Ceres: ….I do not understand…. man: Are you STUPID, Mikagi? Mikagi: What! man: The rumors are out all over the village, ya know. They all know you’re giving flowers to the "daughter of the gods" everyday! Mikagi: She’s not the "daughter of the gods", she’s "Ceres". man: Why don’t you just give up on her! We’re just normal humans. What’ll you do if you fall for this woman and she has to go back to the heavens? //page 20// Mikagi:….I just! I just want Ceres to smile for me! man: That’s what falling for a woman is! That’s not a bad thing, but to Kurama, it’s… [it suddenly starts pouring with rain] //WHOOOOOSHHHH// Mikagi: This’s your fault! The gods are mad at you for being such an ass! man: WHAT?! You think I’m wrong for bringing up Kurama?! Mikagi: //gasp!// //WWWWWHHHHOOOOSSSSHHHH// [there’s a boat tossing in the waters] Mikagi: ….A boat….?! //page 21// rain: //Shooooooshh// [Ceres is in the hut all alone with her flowers] Ceres: What a powerful storm….I guess Mikagi will not come today… //gasp!// Since when did this happen to me?…that I wait for Mikagi to bring me flowers? Up until now, I had been content thinking only about creating children; knowing that humans were that way, too….but… //rustle!// //page 22// [Kurama opens the hut] Kurama: Ceres…!! You have "divine-powers", don’t you?! Ceres: What…?! Kurama: Please save Mikagi! [Ceres looks scared/surprised] //whoosh, whoshh// [Mikagi is in the waters….with his shirt off ^_-…holding an old man from another country who is injured] Mikagi: //gasp!//…..You okay? gaijin: [some foreign script ^_^] //page 23// gaijin: …."Ceres". Mikagi: What?! ocean wave: //crash!// [it threatens to smash onto Mikagi] [villagers pull "man" out of the ocean] person1: Are you okay!! person2: Where’s Mikagi?! ?: Even though he’s a strong sailor, he can’t survive long in this storm… ?: If only the wind would stop…!! //page 24// villagers: //gasp!// [Ceres closes her eyes and floats up, tennyo-symbol a-glow] ??: Daughter of the gods…!! ocean: //WHOOSh//…. ocean: //shhh…// [it calms down ^_^] //page 25// [Mikagi and the gaijin float out of the ocean in an aura of light] //splash…// ??: …Mikagi!! ??: Mikagi, you okay?! Ceres: //shooshhh…// [she floats down] Ceres: Mi… Kurama: Mikagi!! [she hugs him tightly] Ceres: //zukin// [a sound like her heart is being stabbed] ….ah… //page 26// Ceres: What is this pain in my chest?…. woman1: ….it was a boat from another land? woman2: Mikagi discovered the boat just as it was going to be smashed… woman1: and then the daughter of the gods floated up into the air and calmed the sea! [the women are taking care of the gaijin] woman2: But it doesn’t look like this man has much time left anyway… gaijin: [more foreign script] woman1: …What? I wonder what’s wrong? gaijin: "….res" //page 27// gaijin: "Ceres"…. [scene dissolves to Ceres in the hut] Ceres: I wonder if Mikagi is better? It has been a day now. I wonder if that girl is still with him… woman: ….daughter of the gods…Ceres! Can you come here for a bit? That man from another land is… //smack!// //page 28// [the gaijin hits the women on the heads with his staff] //slide../// gaijin: ….At last I’ve found you….Ceres!! Mikagi: //gasp!// //page 29// man: Mikagi! Kurama: Thank the gods….he’ll be okay now! Mikagi: What…happened to me?… Kurama: That "daughter of the gods" saved you…you had sunken into the ocean. I guess…she really isn’t human after all… [Mikagi has a flashback of the gaijin calling out to Ceres and stumbles to his feet] Mikagi: …Where’s that foreigner?….Where’s Ceres…!! Kurama: No, Mikagi! You need to rest for a while…Mikagi!! [Mikagi leaves the hut] //page 30// gaijin: …I’ve been looking for you….all this time! Perhaps you don’t remember me…50 years ago…it’s been 50 years since you left me. Why did you abandon me and the children and run disappear like that?!! With that "mana" of yours! Ceres: …..!! Did you ….chase after me?! You couldn’t…. [images of Ceres with her old husband and children] gaijin: …One of our kids….died in a war….and from the looks of things, all of our children are now older than you are….You haven’t changed at all since I first saw you….from when the people of my country knew you and called you a "goddess"….Tell me why! //page 31// gaijin: //shiver, shiver, shiver// [holding his sword towards Ceres] Ceres: [images of the tennyo in their true form appear behind her as she says this]…..I am not a "goddess"…But I am of a species different from the human race….. We simply use our mana to allow us to transform into humans. As we change into different organisms to suit our environment, we continue to survive…..Only…in order to leave behind offspring….in order to receive the seeds of men from many different lands…. //page 32// flashback-Mikagi: "What poor, sad eyes you have" gaijin: Is that so!…your life…with me….then…then, at this village, too….are you with another man?….I….see….but….maybe that’s for the best….the truth is…the truth is….you….[his eyes fill with tears] Ceres: [closing her eyes] Mikagi [the gaijin raises his sword at Ceres] //page 33// //clang!// [Mikagi blocks her] Mikagi: Leave her alone!! //clink…// Ceres: [hiding behind Mikagi] Mikagi….?! Were you okay? gaijin: //ungh…// //page 34// [the gaijin spits out blood] //cough!// Mikagi: //gasp!// gaijin: …I didn’t have much time left anyway….but….I don’t care…I’m just glad I….to see you…please….by your…hand….my….wife…..please…. [Ceres takes his hand and closes her eyes] Ceres: why? //page 35// [Ceres grants his wish and burns him to death] Ceres: Why did this have to happen? [Mikagi is shocked] Ceres: Why…do humans… …..Mikagi. Mikagi: //perk!// Ceres: …I…am really… //page 36// Kurama: MURDERER!! Ceres: //gasp!// [Kurama stands in front of Mikagi with a torch] Kurama: …what….didn’t you just kill that man?! You’re not a "daughter of the gods"; you’re a witch!! Leave this village at once!! Mikagi: Kurama…stop this!! Kurama: You saw it, too, didn’t you? Open your eyes, Mikagi!! //page 37// Kurama: you’re a "human"!! [she’s crying] if you fall in love with that woman, you’ll regret it some day!! So!! Ceres: ….I will leave this village. [Mikagi is stunned] Ceres: Because….I am not a "daughter of the gods"…. [Mikagi follows after Ceres] Kurama: Mikagi…! Please understand me…I….am doing this for you… //page 38// [Kurama hugs Mikagi from behind] Kurama: Mikagi….I’ve always….always loved you. //clunk// [the torch falls to the ground] Mikagi: …let me go….I’m going to think some things through… //page 39// [Kurama runs away] Mikagi: ….I am sorry…. [Ceres is inside the hut looking at her flowers] Ceres: I do not understand this…mana…what are these feelings I have? I hurt….It feels like my chest is going to collapse. [the hut Ceres is in starts to catch on fire from the torch Kurama dropped] Ceres: why did that man chase after me for so long? Why is Kurama upset? Why is Mikagi… //page 40+41// [Mikagi is out in the field picking a flower, but then notices his hut is on fire] Mikagi: That’s my hut…!! man: Mikagi?!….Where’s the daughter of the gods?! Mikagi: What?! Kurama: The fire…came from…my torch…?! Oh….no… man: When we called for her, she didn’t answer, so we thought she was with you! She’ll be okay, Kurama! She’s a "daughter of the gods"; she can handle a little fire like this. flashback-Ceres: "I am not a daughter of the gods" //page 42// Ceres: [hugging her mana as she sits in the burning hut] have I been sad all along….? Would I have continued my "duty" and copulated with countless men in order to leave children behind? //rustle, rustle// [the hut is falling apart] Ceres: Flames….if I were a normal human…I would turn to ash from you and die….and if I do not use the mana…I would die, too….just like a human.. [a tear drops onto a vase of flowers that are bursting into flame] //page 43// [Ceres perks up] Ceres: Mikagi… [Mikagi comes into the burning hut….damn, he’s hot ^_-] Mikagi: Ceres!! You’ll be okay!! I’m not lost anymore! I know exactly what I need to do now!! [he offers his hand out to Ceres] //page 44// Ceres: [with tears in her eyes] as a human… I….! I will live the rest of my days… Mikagi: Please….marry me…!! [Mikagi and Ceres embrace] //page 45// Ceres: //squeeze// …With this man… [Mikagi carries Ceres out of the hut and brings her out to safety. Kurama is crying] Mikagi: ….Ceres [he holds out a flower he picked earlier]….I had forgotten to give you today’s flower. Ceres: In my….in your heart… //page 46// Ceres: [accepts the flower with a true smile] I want to put my faith. [image of the earrings Mikagi gives her as an engagement present and then Mikagi and Ceres having sex…] Ceres: I want to love… //page 47// [more sex, and then lots of images of all the tragedy that happens in ayashi no Ceres] Ceres: Even if in the future….a pain that will tear us apart lies ahead of us….even if the blood of many is destined to be shed…. //page 48// [it is now the present and Aya’s baby is being delivered] baby: //WAAAH, WAAAH!// Tooya: ……Aya… Aya: //sigh…//…..Tooya….I just had a dream….of a very happy couple long ago… //page 49// Aya: And then….that dream will continue forever into the future……. Tooya: …It’s a girl. [image of Mikagi and Ceres happy with their first born…..whom, let’s remember, is later brutally murdered by her own father ^_^;;] Aya; ….Yeah….! It only told me to tell all of my children…"I love you". [image of Aya and Tooya happy with their baby…the baby looks about half a year old in this image, so we know Tooya lives at least this long ^_-] //the end// [1]